A fatal stab wound causing selective injury to the left anterior descending coronary artery, myocardial infarction and delayed cardiac tamponade

We describe an unusual case of delayed cardiac tamponade that led to death 9 days after a penetrating stab wound. The injury consisted of a longitudinal tear in the LAD coronary artery, with an occlusive thrombus and the rupture of the coronary wall into a pseudo-aneurysmatic peri-coronary hematoma. As imaging evidence of pericardial effusion and ischemic electrocardiographic changes were lacking, the diagnosis was only made during post-mortem examination. Language: en